Stanislaw and Irina Kozav Obituary –Mother and Son Found Dead in Car Outside Providence Hospital, Deaths Linked to Winter Exposure
The Providence community is grieving after a mother and son were found dead earlier this week in a tragedy authorities say was caused by extreme winter conditions.
Stanislaw Kozav, 49, and his mother, Irina Kozav, 75, were discovered Wednesday night inside a parked vehicle outside The Miriam Hospital, near the intersection of Seventh and Summit streets. The discovery sent shockwaves through the surrounding neighborhood and prompted an outpouring of sorrow from residents across the city.
According to the Providence Police Department, the deaths were determined to be weather-related, and investigators have ruled out foul play. Police said underlying medical conditions may have contributed to the incident, which occurred amid dangerously cold temperatures. Authorities believe the pair had been living out of their vehicle, underscoring the heightened risks faced by unhoused individuals during severe winter weather.
Police spokesperson Kristy dosReis emphasized the department’s ongoing efforts to support vulnerable residents, noting that officers routinely check on unhoused community members and work to connect them with shelter and available resources, particularly during extreme cold.
The deaths of Stanislaw and Irina Kozav have renewed conversations in Providence about homelessness, public health, and the deadly impact of winter exposure. Community members are being urged to look out for one another, report concerns about people at risk in freezing conditions, and help connect those in need with local services.
Friends and neighbors remember the Kozavs not solely for the hardships they faced, but as family members bound by love in the face of adversity. Their passing stands as a sobering reminder of the fragility of life during extreme weather and a call for compassion, awareness, and collective action to protect the city’s most vulnerable residents.
